The City of Cape Town (CoCt) released a statement that it will once again be joining forces with animal welfare organisations to carry out a mass animal sterilisation project in the interest of pet health.
The initiative began back in 2013 in order to curb unwanted litters and promote animal health. These projects have seen the successful sterilisation of over 13 376 dogs and cats in various identified areas of need such as Taffelsig, Atlantis, Dunoon, Khayelitsha, Wallacedene/Bloekombos, and Brown’s Farm.
Within the same time period, CoCT’s Health Department has sponsored nearly R6 million through grant-in-aid funding to the Cape Animal Welfare Forum (CAWF) to facilitate the mass sterilisation projects managed by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA along with other fellow member organisations within CAWF.
According to Patricia Van der Ross, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, the reason for CoCT’s ongoing sponsorship lies in their understanding that healthy animals are an integral part of maintaining healthy communities.
“The investment that the City makes into these mass sterilisation campaigns is definitely funds well spent, benefiting not only the pets involved but also the humans they live alongside,” says Van der Ross
“Animals are incredibly vulnerable and reliant on their owners to ensure they are kept in the best health. I want to encourage pet owners who would otherwise not have the means to secure this critical procedure for their dogs and cats to take up this opportunity,” she added.
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This year’s project aims to sterilise at least 70% of existing animal populations across Ocean View, Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg in Hout Bay, as well as Masiphumelele over the next three to six months. Areas in need are identified by CAWF based on needs analyses and best practice.
Including the SPCA, eight member organisations of CAWF will partake in the mass sterilisation project this year. They are EnviroVet, TEARS, the Animal Anti Cruelty League, People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), Animal Welfare Society, Animal Rescue Organisation, and DARG.
These organisations have already started undertaking pet count estimations in the respective areas, as well as raising public awareness on the importance of pet sterilisation, and animal health and welfare in general.
Pet owners in the abovementioned areas are encouraged to sign their pets up for the procedure, which includes a rabies vaccine supplied by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture and Parasite Control, and of course, sterilisation.
Chairperson of the Cape Animal Welfare Forum, Karen De Klerk, expressed her gratitude to The City of Cape Town for their consistent sponsorship in ensuring the success of the mass animal sterilisation project and promoting animal healthcare.
“We aim to sterilise at least 1 500 animals in the identified areas in the coming months. Sterilisation is a key factor in responsible pet ownership and how we maintain overall healthy communities, preventing diseases which are difficult and expensive to treat, as well as the birth of unwanted litters born into challenging circumstances. Our member organisations are working hard to ensure the success of the project, but we need the assistance and support of the communities to reach our goal.”
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